Alexei Cherepanov Was Blood Doping Before His Death

by Jon Azpiri | December 29, 2008 at 12:02 pm

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Recently deceased New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov was believed to have been blood doping prior to his death.

On Oct. 13, Cherapanov collapsed on the bench near the end of game and died soon after. Cherepanov was playing for Omsk in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.

Russia's federal Investigative Committee said blood samples indicate "that for several months Alexei Cherepanov engaged in blood doping.''

The Committee gave no further details, nor did it suggest that the doping may have led to Cherepanov's death.

So what is blood doping?

"Blood doping" refers to any illicit method of boosting an athlete's red blood-cell supply in advance of competition. The typical adult male's hematocrit—the percentage of his blood that is composed of red blood cells—hovers around 45. Since red blood cells carry oxygen through the bloodstream, increasing the number of them allows an athlete's blood to deliver oxygen to muscles more efficiently, reducing fatigue and giving the athlete an edge.

The Committee also revealed that the 19-year-old suffered from myocarditis, a disease or infection that can cause heart inflammation. It is believed that Cherepanov should not have been playing hockey at all.

Despite Cherepanov's health problems, his former team may still be held liable for his death.

``A row of gross violations was committed by the medical brigade helping A. Cherepanov,'' the statement said. Among them, doctors arrived on the scene a full 12 minutes after Cherepanov collapsed, and the battery on the defibrillator to attempt shock Cherepanov's heart back into life was drained, the statement said.
Prosecutors earlier this month accused the club's director of negligence. Mikhail Denisov has since been fired, and Monday's statement did not mention him.